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Immigration Compliance

Immigration laws and registration policies of Russian Federation

The legal status of the foreign citizens entering and staying in Russia is stipulated by the following laws:

  • Federal Law dated 25.07.2002 N115-FZ «On the legal status of foreign citizens in Russian Federation»
  • Federal Law dated 18.07.2006 N109-FZ «On the migration control of foreign citizens and stateless persons in Russian Federation»
  • other federal and regional laws, bylaws, administrative guidelines of the Federal Immigration Service etc.

It is a shared responsibility of both foreign citizens and their host parties to secure compliance with the federal immigration laws. 

Attention! According to the new Federal Law dated 27.06.2018 N163-FZ all international visitors are subject to registration with the Federal Immigration Office (FIS) strictly under the actual address of their stay in Russia. This provision results in the following updates in the FIS Registration Policy towards international visitors of HSE St. Petersburg:

If you stay in the HSE student dormitory

Your FIS Registration is performed by the university as before. The address your registration from now on is the postal address of the dormitory where you stay. Please refer to the FIS Registration Policy for HSE Student Dormitory Residents for further guidelines.

Important! If you have made a Tenancy Agreement and acquired FIS registration at the university dormitory but you do not reside or show up in the dormitory for 3 and more days without giving a prior notice of absence to the dormitory Administrator.

If you reside in a hotel/hostel/apart-hotel

The hotel must perform your FIS Registration right upon your check-in and give you the original FIS Registration Slip. Always ask your hotel for the slip — you will ultimately need it for your further FIS registration. If the hotel refuses to provide you with registration, report to VISO immediately. Your registration at a hotel expires on the day of your check-out. You will have max 7 calendar days to acquire a new FIS registration in your next place of stay (dormitory, hotel, private flat etc.).

If you live in a private apartment/flat

It is the responsibility of your landlord to secure your FIS Registration in this flat each time it is required (check-in and each re-entry to Russia). 

Before you check-in to a private flat, sign a Tenancy Contract and pay the rental fee, make sure that your landlord agrees to perform your FIS Registration and that your landlord is authorized to do so. Carefully read the FIS Registration Policy for HSE Student with Private Housing, check out the required documents, terms and procedures and discuss it with your landlord. 

Important to know

  • Each time you plan to enter Russia, inform your study office and Visa and Immigration Support Office (VISO) of your arrival in advance.
  • Each time you stay in a hostel, hotel or hospital (even for 1 day, even within Saint Petersburg), your previous FIS Registration becomes void, and you need to apply for a new FIS Registration.
  • Each time you leave and re-enter the Russian Federation, your previous FIS Registration becomes void, and you have to apply for a new FIS Registration.
  • At the border control when entering Russia double check that your personal data is indicated correctly in the Migration Card: name, date stamp, the purpose of visit («study» for students).
  • Keep your Migration Card, your FIS Registration and your passport safe. It will take quite a lot of time and money to recover the documents if lost. In case of loss please refer to the «Documents lost» section.    
  • International Office does not provide copy-shop services. Please make sure you have all required copies with you when applying to International Office for registration or visa extension. Use the HSE public print system or print centres in the city!
  • Each time you obtain a new FIS registration or change the place of residence, please inform the Visa and Immigration Support Office (VISO) about this by sending an email and a copy of your new FIS registration to migrationspb@hse.ru. This would greatly help us to keep track of your registration and to make sure you avoid any breaches of the law! VISO contacts are listed below.
  • International students with Permanent Residence Permit (PRP) obtained in Saint-Petersburg must reside and register at the address that is indicated in their PRP and thus cannot be accommodated and registered in the HSE student dormitory! 

Documents lost

If any of your critical documents (passport, migration card, visa, FIS Registration slip) got lost or stolen:

  1. Immediately report the issue to your local Police department or to a Police department near to the area where you think your documents were lost or stolen
  2. Receive a Police claim confirming the loss or theft of a particular document
  3. Immediately contact the Visa and Immigration Support Office (VISO) and report the issue 

Please note: failure to immediately report to the Police the loss/theft of any of these documents is a breach of the migration law that may result in a fine and/or deportation and a re-entry ban.

Contacts

The HSE Visa and Immigration Support Office (VISO) is always happy to answer your questions regarding immigration and visa support procedures and policies.

Please feel free to visit us in person at 123 Kanala Griboedova emb., office 304 or contact us at:

VISO team: Anna Evdokimova, Anna Mescheryakova, Marina Bitosova
Email: migrationspb@hse.ru; visasupportspb@hse.ru
Tel.: +7 (812) 644-59-11 (ext. 61577, ext. 61238)

Adaptation and Support

Any other questions not related to study or migration registration and visas can be asked at the International Student Support Office (ISSO). ISSO team will help you to solve your question, or they will tell you where to go to get help and answers.

To obtain a medical insurance policy (it is a mandatory document for a legal stay on the territory of the Russian Federation), also contact ISSO.

In addition, the International Student Support Office organizes social and cultural events and helps international students learn more about Russia and other cultures. 

ISSO team: Irina Komarova
Tel.: +7 (812) 644-59-11 (ext. 61748)
Email: isso@hse.ru
Hotline for emergency situations (including WhatsApp and Telegram): +7 (981) 830-15-40
Address: 123 Kanala Griboedova emb., office 215
Website: https://spb.hse.ru/en/io/intersupport/
Telegram: https://t.me/hse_spb_isso
ESN Buddy
Assoсiation of International Students
International Ambassador